Why do we go to Jinx’s house?

I was chatting with TET the other day about her (then) upcoming visit to Jinx’s. “We’re going to pick up a new dog.” she said. A trend I thought, the Earthpigs have picked up at least two of their pets during visits to Jinx’s house. If you asked an observer you would think I go to Jinx’s house to collect BIG rocks, visit the world’s best fabric store and Hobby Lobby. (Big rocks cost an arm and a leg in the sandy south and she is always eager to get rid of some.) OnyxDarkwind goes to Jinx’s house to collect grapevines. One would think we go there to get things. And you would be right.

Well, maybe not in the case of this latest dog but I’m pretty sure the Earthpigs weren’t planning on getting a dog on that other visit. If I remember correctly everyone went to PetSmart and came home with a dog. You know, that superstore that has local shelters bring over their dogs and cats that need a good home. So you go in the store for fish food and these darling puppies wiggle and dance while looking at you. And the next thing you know you’re picking one up and it smells so good. Then it’s sniffing your ear which tickles and it’s wriggling with pleasure in your arms, just so excited to be with you. And your heart just overflows with laughter cause this little puppy (or kitten) is so happy with you. The next thing you know, you’re leaving the store with a puppy and you forgot the fish food. “Never mind,” you think, “who needs fish?” Here is a being that thinks you are the center of the world and lets you know it. We have all been there. The Geek won’t let me into that store at all. This might be another post actually.

Anyway. Yes, we do go to Jinx’s house to get something: we get to see each other, to wallow in our friendship. That’s a kind of ‘getting’. We get to chat, compare yarn projects, share recipes, perform theraputical analysis on each other, watch old movies and new CSI (shudder), talk about the things we want to do but will never get to do (unless we win the lottery). Most of these things we could do via the phone and email but it’s not the same as face-to-face. We use these other ‘gets’ as excuses to indulge ourselves in our friendship.

There is another excuse we use to visit each other, it’s called saving money. We’re going to DC so we might as well stop at Jinx’s house and save the cost of a hotel room. Or, they’re going to Tampa so they might as well stop at our house and save the cost of a room. Never mind that neither house is on the direct route to where we are headed. Never mind that it adds several hours onto our trip. We’re saving money!

Speaking of saving money and getting things. I need to go up to Jinx’s house and pick up a couple of big rocks. She gives them to me for free and I’ll save money.

A Friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. – Ralph Waldo Emerson